Safety belt buckle



March 29, 196e R- C- FSHER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 13, 1964 INVENTOR.

BY MMM/7m March 29, 1966 Filed Aug. 15,

R. C` FISHER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,242,546 SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Robert C. Fisher, 580 E. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Filed Aug. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 389,314 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) This invention relates generally to buckles, and more particularly to an improved buckle for automobile type safety belts.

This application discloses an improvement over the safety belt buckle disclosed in my Patent Number 3,131,451.

The safety belt buckle of the instant invention sets a new standard of user acceptance by eliminating the possibility of false latching. This is achieved by precluding insertion of the belt tongue under the openable handle of the buckle which occasionally results in a false latch. Since -it is desirable for safety belt buckles to be substantially foolproof in operation the belt buckle of the instant invention increases user acceptance and therefore usage of safety belts which in turn saves lives.

Insertion of the Ibelt tongue under the openable handle of the belt buckle is precluded by locking the handle of the buckle in the closed condition when the complementary tongue is removed from the buckle. When the tongue is inserted into the buckle the handle thereof is released so as t be operable so as to permit retraction of the tongue.

Accordingly, one object of the instant invention is a buckle fora safety belt that precludes false latching of a belt tongue thereto.

The belt buckle of the instant invention features a novel handle locking spring that automatically is moved to a handle locking position upon retraction of the belt tongue from within the buckle. Conversely, the spring is automatically moved to the handle release condition upon insertion of the belt tongue into the buckle thereby rendering the handle operable to release the belt tongue.

Thus, another object is an automatically operable lock for the operating handle of a safety belt buckle.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a top view of the safety belt buckle of the instant invention with the tongue removed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the safety belt buckle of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. l, showing the operating handle in the locked condition;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the operating handle in the unlocked condition;

FIG. 5 is a top view, similar to FIG. 1, with the buckle broken away to show the internal components thereof in the locked condition, and

FIG. 6 is a view, similar to FIG. 5, showing the buckle in the unlocked condition.

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, a safety belt buckle 10, in accordance with the exemplary constructed embodiment of the instant invention, comprises a base 12, a latch plate 14, a latch spring 16, a handle 18, a belt bar 20, a rear slide 22, and a handle locking spring 24. 'Ihe foregoing components are assembled in interlocking relationship on the base 12 and are self-retained in the assembled condition, as will be described.

A tongue 30 is adapted to be releasably accepted and retained within the buckle 10. One end 34 of a belt portion 36 is adapted to be adjustably looped around the bar 20 and an end 37 of a belt portion 38 is secured to the tongue 30 yas by stitching designated by the numeral 39.

Pce

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the base 12 of the buckle 10 is of channel-like lateral cross-sectional conguration defined by a web portion 40 with upstanding flange portions 42 and 44 at the opposite edges thereof. The flange portions 42 and 44 of the base 12 have inwardly folded edges 46 and 48 thereon, respectively, that extend generally parallel to the web portion 40 thereof.

The web portion 40 of the base 12 has a reentrantly folded latch retainer 50 `at one end thereof that pivotally accepts an end portion 52 of the latch plate 14. The latch plate 14 is bot-h supported for rotation relative to the base 12 and retained against movement outwardly of the base 12 by the retainer portion 50 thereof.

The latch plate 14 has a latch face S4 on an oiset p0rtion 56 that is engagea-ble with a complementary latch surface 58 on the periphery of an aperture 60 in the tongue 30 to effect locking of the tongue 30 within the buckle 10.

The latch plate 14 is normally biased toward the latched condition by the spring 16, one end portion 62 of which is disposed about the offset portion 56 of the latch plate 14.

The base 12 has a pair of upstanding latch plate stripper fingers 64 and 66 which engage the underside of the tongue 30 when the latch plate 14 is biased to the release condition by the handle 18, as will be more particularly described hereinafter. Further the base 12 has a pair of upstanding ears 68 and 70 which serve to lock the other components in position on the base 12, as will be described.

The handle 18 has an oifset portion 72 that substantially closes the top of the buckle 10. The offset portion 72 of the handle 18 has a pair of ears I4-76 that are accepted under the folded edge portions 46 and 48 in generally parallel rel-ation, respectively, to retain the handle 18 in the position shown in the drawings. The handle 18 pivots against the underside of the folded edge portions 46 and 48 on the base 12, so as to bring an edge portion 78 thereof into engagement with an inner end portion 80 of the latch plate 14, thereby to cam the latch plate 14 about the latch retainer 50 on the base 12 toward the open condition.

The slide 22 carries the belt bar 20 about which the end 34 of the 'belt portion 36 is looped. A front lip 82 on the slide 22 engages behind the ears -68 and 70 on the base 12 to retain the slide 22 thereon.

In accordance with the instant invention, the handle lock spring 24 is of U-shaped coniiguration delined by a bight portion 102 and leg portions 104 and 106.

As best seen by comparing FIGS. 5 and 6, the bight portion 102 of the spring 24 is normally bent at portions 108 and 110 thereof so that the portions 108 and 110 underlie the offset portion 72 of the handle 18. The offset portion 72 of the handle 18 must move downwardly when the handle 18 is -rotated count-erclockwise to release the tongue 30. Therefore, the portions 108 and of the spring 24 preclude such rotation when they underlie the portion 72 of the handle 18. The portions 108 and 110 normally move to a position underlying the ears 74 and 76 on the offset portion 72 of the handle 18 due to the inherent resiliency of the spring 24. Such movement is permitted when the tongue 30 is removed from the buckle 10.

When the tongue 30 is inserted into the buckle 10 a pair of laterally spaced shoulders 112 and 114 thereon engage with the leg portions 104 and 106 of the spring 24, the last increment of movement of the tongue 30 to the position, shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, wherein the latch surface 58 thereof is engaged with the latch face 54 on the latch plate 14, effects bending of the portions 108 and 110 of the spring 24 to the position shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. In this position the ears 74 and 76 on 3 the offset portion 72 of the handle 18 are free to rotate downwardly permitting the handle 18 to be raised. The edge portion 78 of the handle 18 engages the end portion 80 of the latch 14 to effect counterclockwise rotation thereof and disengagement of the latch face 54 thereon from the latch surface 58 on the tongue 30.

The seat belt buckle of the instant invention is assembled by rst engaging the end portion 62 of the latch spring 16 about the offset portion 56 of the latch plate 14. The assembled latch plate 14 and spring 16 are then inserted under the edge portions 46 and 48 of the base 12. The spring 24 is then placed in position and the handle 18 inserted fromthe right hand end of the ibase 12, as seen in the drawings.

The bar 20 is neXt assembled with the slide 22 and the end 34 of the belt portion 36 is then inserted through the slot in the base 12, thence about the bar 20. The assembled bar 20, slide 22 and end 34 of the belt portion 36 are then inserted into the open end of the base 12 from the left, as seen in the drawings. The assembled slide 22 and bar 20 are moved inwardly of the base 12 until the lip portion 82 of the slide 22 snaps over the ears 68 and 70 on the base 12. The dimensional relationship of the lip portion 82 and the ears 68 and 70 is such that resilience of the slide 22 accommodates the aforementioned snapping of the lip portion 82 thereover. After the slide 22 is moved to the assembled condition, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, engagement between the edge or lip portion 82 and the ears 68 and 70 precludes disassembly of the slide 22 from the base 12.

Lengthening of the belt 36 is effected by movement of the slide 22 inwardly of the base 12 and tilting of the buckle 10 relative to the end 34 of the belt portion 36. When the belt buckle 10 is so tilted and the slide 22 is moved inwardly as by a longitudinal squeeze, the belt 36 can be lengthened with one hand by merely pulling on the 4buckle 10. It is also to be noted that by gripping the buckle 10 at opposite ends thereof in order to lengthen the belt 36, the slide 22 is moved to the release position. Shortening ofthe belt portion 36 is effected by merely pulling on the top or free end 34 of the belt portion 36.

In operation, handle locking spring 24 is positioned by the ears 68 and 70 so that upon insertion of the tongue 30 the portions 108 and 110 of the spring are bent. When biased Ito the position shown in FIG. 6, the portions 108 and 110 do not interfere with opening of the handle 18. However, when the tongue 30 is removed, the spring 24 precludes rotation of the handle 18 thus Iinsuring that the tongue 30 cannot be spuriously engaged between the handle 18 and the edge portions 46 and 48 of the base 12.

it is to be understood that the specific construction of the improved safety belt buckle herein disclosed and described is presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety belt buckle comprising a base member,

a latch plate pivotally supported by said base member and having a latch portion thereon,

resilient means for normally biasing said latch plate toward a latched condition,

a release handle supported by said base member for movement between an open and a closed condition, said handle being operable to effect movement of said latch plate against the bias of said resilient means,

a belt tongue having a latch surface engageable with and disengageable from the latch portion of said latch plate, and

means supported by said base automatically engageable with said handle upon disengagement of said belt tongue from said latch plate to preclude subsequent movement of said handle to the open condition while said belt tongue is disengaged from said latch plate, said means being automatically disengaged from said handle upon engagement of said tongue with said latch.

2. A safety belt buckle comprising a base member,

a latch plate pivotally supported by said base member and having a latch portion thereon,

resilient means for normally biasing said latch plate toward a latched condition,

a release handle supported by said base member for movement between an open and a closed condition, said handle being operable to effect movement of said latch plate against the bias of said resilient means,

a belt tongue having a latch surface engageable with and disengageable from the latch portion of said latch plate, and

a locking spring supported by said base and having end portions automatically engageable under said handle upon disengagement of said belt tongue from said latch plate to preclude subsequent movement ofy said handle to the open condition while said belt tongue is disengaged from said latch plate, the end portions of said spring being automatically disengaged from said handle upon engagement of said tongue with said latch.

3. A safety belt buckle comprising a base member,

a latch plate pivotally supported by said base member and having a latch portion thereon,

resilient means for normally biasing said latch plate toward a latched condition,

a release handle supported by said base member for movement between an open and a closed condition, said handle being operable to effect movement of said latch plate against the bias of said resilient means,

a belt tongue having a latch surface engageable With and disengageable from the latch portion of said latch plate, and

a generally U-shaped locking springsupported by said base, the leg portions of said spring being engageable under said handle to preclude movement thereof to the open condition when said belt tongue is disen gaged from said latch plate, said belt tongue being engageable with the leg portions of said locking spring to move the leg portions to a non-engaging condition with said handle.

4. A safety belt buckle comprising a base member having a web portion with upstanding flanges on opposite sides thereof with inturned edge portions extending in spaced generally parallel relationship to the web portion thereof, said base member having means at one end thereof for retaining a latch plate,

a latch plate having an aperture therein defining a latch surface, said latch plate being disposed between the web portion and edge portions of said base,

resilient means between the web portion of said base and said latch plate for normally biasing said latch plate away from the web portion of said base,

a release handle pivotally supported by the edge portions of said base member and engageable with said latch plate to effect movement thereof against the bias of said resilient means,

a belt tongue insertable between said latch plate and handle having a latch surface engageable with the latch on said latch plate, and

a generally U-shaped locking spring having leg portions normally extending under said handle so as to be engageable therewith to preclude movement of said handle to the open condition, said belt tongue being engageable with the leg portions of said locking spring upon movement of said tongue towards the latched condition with said latch plate.

S. A safety belt buckle comprising a hase member having a web portion with upstanding flanges on opposite sides thereof with inturned edge portions extending in spaced generally parallel relationship to the web portion thereof, said base member having means at one end thereof for retaining a latch plate,

a latch plate having a latch surface, said latch plate being disposed between the web portion and edge portions of said base,

resilient means between the web portion of said base and said latch plate for normally biasing said latch plate away from the web portion of said base,

a release handle pivotally supported by said base member and engageable with said latch plate to effect movement thereof against lthe bias of said resilient means,

a belt tongue insertable between said latch plate and handle having a latch surface engageable with the latch on said latch plate, and

a locking spring having a portion extending between the web portion of said bze and said handle so as to preclude movement of said handle to the open condition, movement of said belt tongue towards the latched condition with said latch plate effecting movement of said locking spring to a condition wherein said handle is movable to the open condition.

6. A safety belt buckle comprising a base member having a web portion with upstanding iianges on opposite sides thereof with inturned edge portions extending in spaced generally parallel relationship to the web portion thereof, said base member having means at one end thereof for retaining a latch plate,

a latch plate having an aperture therein dening a latch surface, said latch plate being disposed between the web portion and edge portions of said base,

resilient means between the web portion of said base and said latch plate for normally biasing said latch plate away from the web portion of said base,

a release handle pivotally supported by the edge portions of said base member and engageable with said latch plate to effect movement thereof against the bias of said resilient means,

a belt 4tongue insertable between said latch plate and handle having a latch surface engageable with the latch on said latch plate, and

a locking spring having a portion normally extending under said handle so as to be engageable therewith to preclude movement of said handle to the open condition, movement of said belt tongue towards the latched condition with said latch plate effecting movement of said locking spring to a condition wherein said handle is movable to the open condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,581,557 1/1952 Rozas. 3,104,440 9/1963 Davis 2li-230.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 196,035 3/ i908 Germany.

30 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Examiner. 

1. A SAFETY BELT COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER, A LATCH PLATE PIVOTALLY SUPPROTED BY SAID BASE MEMBER AND HAVING A LATCH PORTION THEREON, RESILENT MEANS FOR NORMALLY BIASING SAID LATCH PLATE TOWARD A LATCHED CONDITION, A RELEASE HANDLE SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN OPEN AND A CLOSED CONDITION, SAID HANDLE BEING OPERABLE TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH PLATE AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS, A BELT TONGUE HAVING A LATCH SURFACE ENGAGEABLE WITH AND DISENGAGEABLE FROM THE LATCH PORTION OF SAID LATCH PLATE, AND MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE AUTOMACTIALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID HANDLE UPON DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID BELT TONGUE FROM SAID LATCH PLATE TO PRECLUDE SUBSEQUENT MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE TO THE OPEN CONDITION WHILE SAID BELT TONGUE IS DISENGAGED FROM SAID LATCH PLATE, SAID MEANS BEING AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGED FROM SAID HANDLE UPON ENGAGEMENT OF SAID TONGUE WITH SAID LATCH. 